Published: April 29, 2008

We are back with another of the Wroth brothers and this one is the super crazy brother. Well, the one that has fallen away from the other brothers and the one that we don’t know anything about. When I first read this book it was by audiobook and in my re-read I also tackled it through audiobook and a bit of the print book as well. I love the heroine in this book because like the rest of them she doesn’t let Conrad get away with anything. Neomi was a ballerina and burlesque dancer in the 1920s and to be a woman who had the success she did and to live the kind of life she did was almost unheard of. That is until she was murdered in her home on the night of her greatest theatrical success. Only she never passed on. For 80 years she was alone until 3 brothers drug a mad man into her home and chained him up. And they destroyed parts of it in the process.

I enjoyed reading about Conrad’s struggle with reality. He had drunk so many victims that he couldn’t differentiate between real and unreal. And he wanted to because he was being haunted by a dancer who could only be seen by him. I’m still unsure of why he was the only one to be able to see her. Maybe because she was his bride? Though I like the lykae’s stories better I did enjoy this one. I enjoyed reading about Neomi learning about the world of Lore and about Conrad’s battle with himself. And ultimately how he overcame his madness for her. The book also sets up for the following books so while each book can technically be read as a stand alone the series as a whole read in order makes more sense. We even get to see Mariketa and Bowen in this one. I told you they would continue to be players in the series. Make sure you read this book and continue with me on my review of this series!

—“Okay, I have cartoon dollar signs in my bulging cartoon eyes. I’ll be right over. Knock on the mirror closest to you while I’m on the phone.” -Mari to Neomi, pg. 205—